The Shipping Markets: Making the right prediction

Here is the Allaboutshipping.co.uk’s thirteen overview and recapitulation of the Shipping Markets, Events and the World’s various “situations” for 2014 with John Faraclas:

With the BDI down 30 points since yesterday (3 April 2014) at 1, 205 and a weekly drop of 170 points since last week’s 1, 375, our prediction comes true! This is not an exercise of arrogance or cynicism, it’s simply the reality. We did come up for the first time midweek, on Tuesday 1 April and prepared you of what is yet to come, and we did have a positive response from the market as well as from hundreds of viewers! Moreover our last two years’ reporting on the markets issue and situ, was always a warning, but few have got the message!

The BDI is down 1, 022 points from last December’s (2013) closing at 2, 227 points, something like a 45, 5 centum, the gap is widening yet again!
Overall the Cape size index, the BCI, closed down 37 points from yesterday to 2, 306 and 271 points down since last week’s 2, 577 points!
The Panamaxes and their respective index, the BPI, closed down 14 points since yesterday at 822 – still below the 1, 000 point mark…
The BSI was down at 1003 minus 22 from 1, 115 of last week; he BHSI was down at 598 – 12.

The wets too still are going down with the BDTI down at 688 from 709 of last week and the BCTI at 598 – 4 since yesterday…

Now you’ve read the above and I am sure you have read and listen in the press that there is confidence in Shipping. Having confidence in shipping is one thing, operating in a sustainable shipping industry yet another. The worse is when members of the Press do not know how the industry operates and they interpret wrongly the messages of confidence and other factors too. Caution!

The fight against piracy was one of the priorities of the 4th EU-Africa Summit, held this week in Brussels. Maria Damanaki, Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries in a Joint Declaration emphasizes “…the need to increasingly work together to ensure maritime security. Piracy is one of the threats to secure and safe oceans.”
She explained that “pirate attacks are a complex issue to tackle and Actions have to be combined through a broader approach: from trade to development aid, to military and diplomatic efforts, to support to reconstruction. For example, the European military operation Atalanta in the Horn of Africa is a success. Pirate attacks have been curbed in the region. But there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Each maritime region troubled by piracy, from West Africa to South Asia, requires different undertakings. This is why tackling piracy also means working hand in hand at international level.”
Yesterday, in the margins of the Summit, she met with the President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud. Together they discussed a possible collaboration on fisheries as Somalia wants to benefit from the economic opportunities of the development at sea. She stressed that “we have to work in a systematic way, under mutual cooperation, to take advantage of European funding which can build the infrastructure needed for fisheries management and control.”

Her statement is fine, but let’s see the end result to all intents and purposes…

McDonald’s quits Crimea as fears of trade clash grow and Vladimir Zhirinovsky, a staunch advocate of anti-Westernism wants even McDonald’s exodus from Russia too, even mentioning Coca Cola to quit… Oh well, hold your breath as there is more to come from both sides!

The Malaysian airplane saga continues to make waves, real waves as underwater equipment, ROVS and other staff that we’ve since during last month’s Oceanology International, are making their presence there, but all wise people around the globe are expecting to see what short of cover up is being built up. On another tone, it could have been just a simple accident, but I cannot yet be convinced. Are you convinced? Are you sleeping comfortable or your conscience… has hick-ups….

Our next reporting will be from the Far East – the Singapore Maritime Week 6-11 April begins as well as many more events there. Watch this space!

IforU’s two-day seminar last weekend in Athens was more than a success!!! This is where we have to capitulate. The Shipping session last Saturday was one of the best ever of its kind with many WISTA Hellas members and others on a great day, like Dane Bezantakou who delivered one of her best ever speeches! Mentoring is the name of the game!

Women again, in Malmö, Sweden a few days ago where the Maritime Women held the: Global Leadership International Conference. It was an unprecedented gathering of female maritime leaders from around the globe, representing all areas of the maritime sector. Over 265 participants, both male and female, representing 74 countries came together to focus on gender equality and capacity building for the maritime sector. From 31 March – 1 April, the World Maritime University (WMU) hosted the event that was delivered in cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO). WMU hosted their first conference focused on empowering maritime women in 2008.

WISTA-UK, the Maria Dixon’s faithful are getting ready for the 40th Anniversary with the first event on the 8th of May in London. A year with many events worldwide marking these 40 special years!

Sea Power in the field surely belongs to the Greeks: The figures, just out from the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee earlier this afternoon – which you can read at your ease over the weekend in this site, have a big surprise for all; we just make a brief note: 3, 901 vessels from 2, 487 since 1988 and nearly 300 mio dwt, 290, 847, 132 to be precise, from 85 million in 1988. An impressive result despite what happens around the world and of course still, yes still down in Greece…

Wishing you a happy weekend and be on guard for the multiple of developments surrounding our world and conversely our industry, Shipping, the most important industry of all! Log on herebelow and listen live to our news: